Bread loaf sacking equipment



Jan. 27, 1970 E. E. BURFORD BREAD LOAF SACKING EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19. 1965 fimvENToR BY %mz,

ATTORNEY Jan. 27, 1970 E. E. BURFORD BREAD LOAF SACKING EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19. 1965 INVENTOR EARL E. BURFORD BY J W 1 {g I 7:.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 27, 1970 E. E. BURFORD 3,491,514

BREAD LOAF SACKING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV ENT OR ATTORNEY 5 H 6 7\ \w y 7 \r i v 7 3 5 Q in: z EB m w 6 w a 6 w w E 1 w 13 m m r? EARL E. BURFORD Jan. 27, 1970 E. EQBURFORD 3,491,514

BREAD LOAF SACKING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H a. a5 AAELEEEEEHEZE HQ, 54 HQ. Q5 as as 35 2 m. 5% V @JEEEEQEEEE ATTORNEYS,

INVENTOR EARL E. BURFORD United States Patent 3,491,514 BREAD LOAF SACKING EQUIPMENT Earl E. Burford, Maysville, Okla, assignor to Burford Company International, Inc., Maysville, 0kla., a corporation of Oklahoma Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,921 Int. Cl. B65b 25/18, 35/20, 43/26 US. Cl. 53-189 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for inserting and packaging a sliced loaf of bread or similar layered article in a flexible package.

This invention relates to packaging equipment and more particularly to apparatus for inserting articles in envelope type packages of thin thermoplastic film. The particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is designed for the packaging of sliced bread loaves, but the invention is not restricted thereto.

It is conventional practice to package loaves of bread in sacks, or bags, which are preformed from a relatively thin flexible material, such as a thermoplastic film. However, the packaging of sliced loaves of bread into such preformed sacks has presented a problem as a result of the tendency of the individual slices to separate. The separation permits the slices near the end of the loaf which is being inserted into the sack to fall down, thereby preventing the loaf from being inserted completely into the sack. Also, the displaced slices tend to be misaligned, and present an unsightly appearance. Further, after the loaf is inserted into the sack, there is a tendency for the slices near the open end of the sack to fall over, thereby interfering with the closing of the sack.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for packaging articles in sacks.

Another object is to provide an improved apparatus for packaging loaves of bread in preformed, open ended sacks.

Another object is to provide an improved apparatus for packaging sliced loaves of bread in preformed, open ended sacks.

Another object is to' provide an improved apparatus for inserting a sliced loaf of bread into a sack without permitting the slices of the loaf to become separated.

An important feature of my invention resides in providing a reciprocably mounted ram for pushing a loaf of sliced bread longitudinally of the loaf through a movable into a partially opened sack. The bread is positioned in the path of the ram either manually or by suitable mechanical means, with one end of the loaf engaging the movable guide so that the slices on one end of the loaf are p ,revented from separating. The ram then moves into engagement with the loaf to prevent the slices on the other end from separating.

A magazine stack of sacks is supported on the apparatus with their open ends adjacent to and directed toward the movable guide, and a vacuum device is provided above the stack to lift open the end portion only of the uppermost sack. The ram then pushes the bread toward the open end of the sack, thereby projecting the movable guide into the open end. Further movement of the ram moves the loaf past the guide, with the guide providing sufficient frictional support to prevent the slices on the end of the loaf from separating. As the loaf moves past the guide, the end slices engage the side walls of the unopened portion of the sack which provide sufficient support for the slices until the loaf has bottomed in the sack.

Patented Jan. 27, 1970 Once the loaf of bread is inserted into the sack, a closing and ejection mechanism collapses the open end of the sack to prevent the subsequent separation of the slices. After collapsing the open end of the sack, the packaged loaf is ejected from the top of the stack of sacks, and the ram, guide, and vacuum lift devices are returned to their initial positions.

Other and further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following specification, considered with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a bread sacking machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with parts broken away to clearly show other parts;

FIG. 3 is sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary plan views, partially in section, showing a sliced loaf of bread being inserted into a bag by the apparatus according to this invention; FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a magazine of sacks suitable for use in the apparatus of this invention; and

FIGS. 10 through 16 are fragmentary sectional views similar to FIG. 8 illustrating a complete cycle of operation of the apparatus and disclosing the mechanism for ejecting a loaf of bread which has been packaged by the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a bread sacking apparatus according to the present invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral 1 and includes a rigid stationary frame 2, a generally horizontal work supporting table 3, and a mechanism supporting platform 4 spaced beneath table 3. A ram 5 is supported for reciprocating movement along the upper surface of table 3 to engage a sliced loaf of bread 6 to move the loaf along the upper surface of table 3 beneath a swinging guide 7 into the open end of a sack 8. A magazine supply of collapsed sacks 8 is supported on a vertically movable platform 9 adjacent table 3, with the open ends of the sacks directed toward movable guide 7.

Ram 5 is supported for reciprocating movement along the upper surface of table 3 by a pair of parallel tracks 10 spaced above the surface of table 3. A pair of brackets 11 are mounted on and project upwardly from ram 5 between tracks 10, and a pair of rollers 12, mounted on each of the brackets 11, extend outwardly and engage tracks 10 for rolling movement therealong. Ram 5 is moved along the surface of table 3 by a connecting rod 13 having one end pivotally mounted, as by pin 14, to one end of the ram. The opposite end of connecting rod 13 is connected, as by pin 15, to an elongated lever 17 of a linkage mechanism 16. Lever 17 has its other end pivotally connected to platform 4 by a pin 18. An elongated link 19 has one end pivotally connected to lever 17, at a point intermediate its ends, and its other end is rota ably connected to the end of a crank arm 20, as by bearing 21. Suitable motor means 22, acting through a reduction gear mechanism 23, chain 24, and a clutch 24a, drives a shaft 25 to rotate crank arm 20. As best seen in FIG. 1, rotation of crank arm 20 will actuate the linkage mechanisms 16 to move ram 5 along the surface of table 3. Each revolution of shaft 25 will cause movement of ram 5 from the retracted limit position illustrated in FIG. 10 through an extended limit position as illustrated in FIG. 14 and back to the retracted limit position illustrated again in FIG. 16.

Operation of motor 22 is controlled by a main switch (not shown). The motor operates continuously while the main switch is closed; and the clutch 24a normally is disengaged. A clutch actuator control switch 26 in a shunt of the motor 20 control circuit (not shown) has an operating plunger plate 27 of the spring-projected type which plays through a mounting wall 26a (FIGS. 7) that is fixed on the table 3 alongside the ram 5 parallel thereto and extending toward the guide 7. Wall 26a constitutes a stop against which loaves to be packaged are positioned in longitudinal alignment with the forward end of the ram. While the clutch actuator switch 26 is open, the ram is at rest. When a loaf is positioned against the wall 26a, it depresses the plunger plate 27 to close the "switch and engage the clutch 24a whereby to initiate cycling reciprocation of the ram. As the ram moves forward in its protractile stroke it rides over the plunger plate and holds the clutch switch closed until the ram clears the plunger plate in moving to its retracted limit position.

The movable guide 7 is preferably in the form of a rectangular plate having a size slightly larger than the cross-section of a loaf of bread 6 to be packaged and is mounted on frame 2 at the edge of table 3 adjacent sack supporting platform 9. The guide is mounted by a hinge 31 for pivotal movement between a substantially vertical position disposed in the path of ram 5 and an inclined position projecting outwardly above the open end of sacks 8 supported on platform 9. Guide 7 may be maintained in the vertical position in the path of ram 5 by gravity or, if desired, a suitable spring (not shown) may be provided to increase the resistance of guide to movement about hinge 31.

In the retracted position of the ram as shown in FIG. 10, the ram is spaced from guide 7 a distance sufficient to permit a loaf of bread 6 to be placed therebetween on the surface of table 3, either manually as illustrated in the drawings, or by suitable conveyor means (not shown). Upon initial movement of ram 5 toward the extended position as shown in FIG. 11, the loaf of sliced :bread is moved into contact with guide 7. Further movement of ram 5 causes the advancing loaf to push against and lift the guide so that it rests upon the top of the loaf passing thereunder.

A vacuum lift device is provided to engage and pull open the loaf receiving end of the uppermost sack and at the same time to pull the open top edge portion of the sack slightly toward and over the free end of the guide 7 while the guide is being lifted by an advancing loaf passing thereunder. As here shown the lift includes a nozzle 35 arranged for reciprocation and oscillation in a vertical plane substantially on the longitudinal median of a magazine of sacks on the platform 9. The nozzle is supported by pivotal connections 40 at the outer ends of links 38 and 39 arranged in vertically spaced relation for vertical oscillation above the table 3. The upper link 38 is intermediate and parallel to the ram tracks 10, and at its inner end has a pivot bearing on an axle 42 that extends transversely between the upper ends of a pair of vertical upright supports 44 fixed to the table 3 at the outer sides of the ram tracks. The lower link is a U-frame having its legs 39 parallel to and outside the tracks 10. The outer end or bight of the U-frame has its pivotal connection 40 to the vacuum nozzle 35 spaced vertically below the other pivotal connection 40 between the outer end of the upper link 38 and the nozzle. Each leg 39 of the U-frame link has at its inner end a pivotal connection 43 to its adjacent support 44 and equally spaced vertically below the upper link axle 42.

An important feature of my invention is the fact that the length of the upper link 38 between its outer end pivotal connection 40 and its inner end pivotal bearing on the axle 42 is slightly greater than the length of the lower link axially between its outer end pivotal connection 40 and the transverse axis of its pivotal connections 43 at the inner ends of the legs 39. Otherwise stated: the

radius of the arc of oscillation of the outer end of the upper link at its pivot connection 40 is slightly greater than the radius of the arc of oscillation of the outer end of the lower link at its pivot connection 40.

This differential assures that during each cycle of raising and lowering the vacuum nozzle 35 its sack-engaging tip will move through a vertical arc of oscillation that carries the engaged sack end up, toward, and over the entering end of the swinging guide 7 as the guide is lifted by an advancing loaf.

Nozzle 35 is moved between a raised and a lowered position by an eccentric cam 45 mounted on shaft 25 for rotation therewith. An elongated link 46 has its upper end pivotally connected by pin 47 to a lower link arm 39, and has a cam follower 50 mounted on its lower end in contact with eccentric cam 45. A second elongated link 51 has one end pivotally mounted, as by pin 52 to frame 2 and its other end pivotally connected, as by pin 53 to arm 46 at a point intermediate pin 47 and cam follower 50 to provide lateral support to link 46 while permitting vertical movement thereof by the engagement of cam follower 50 with eccentric cam 45. Since cam 45 and crank 20 are mounted on the same shaft 25, synchronization of the vertical movement of nozzle 35 and the horizontal movement of ram 5 is always assured.

A closing and ejecting mechanism 60 is supported by a bracket 61 on frame 2 above sack supporting platform 9. The closing mechanism 60 comprises a pair of laterally spaced parallel shafts 62, 63 journalled for rotation about spaced horizontal axes extending transverse to the direction of movement of ram 5. A pair of sprocket wheels 64 are mounted on each of the respective shafts 62, 63, one adjacent each end thereof, and a pair of chains 65 are mounted on and extend between the sprocket wheels on corresponding ends of the two shafts. A paddle member 66 extends between and is rigidly fixed to the respective chains 65, and projects outwardly therefrom for move ment around a fixed path with the chains 65. The paddle 66 and chain 65 are driven in their fixed path by a drive chain 67 extending around a sprocket wheel 68 fixed to shaft 62 and a drive sprocket 69 mounted on shaft 25. The various sprocket wheels and the chains 65 are proportioned so that, upon each revolution of shaft 25, paddle 66 will make one complete pass around its fixed path.

Since the mechanism is adapted to insert a loaf of bread into the uppermost sack of a supply of sacks stacked in collapsed superimposed relation on platform 9, it is desirable that the platform be vertically adjustable to maintain the upper level of the supply at a substantially uniform position, preferably at or slightly below the level of table 3. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, platform 9 is supported on the end of the piston 70 of a fluid cylinder 71 which, in turn, is supported by a bracket 72 on the side of frame 2. A counting device 73 is positioned on bracket 61 in position to be actuated by paddle 66 upon each trip of the paddle around its fixed path. Counter 73 is connected in the electric circuitry of an electrically controlled valve mechanism 74 to direct fluid to cylinder 71 to elevate piston 70 a predetermined amount upon actuation of the counter mechanism 73 a predetermined number of times, thereby maintaining the level of the uppermost sack in the supply supported on platform 9 at the desired level.

The sacks to be filled are supplied from a magazine 75 which, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises a rectangular tray 76 on the upper face of the platform 9 carrying a stack of collapsed and superposed sacks 8. The sacks are open at their loaf-receiving ends and sealed at the opposite ends, and are arranged so that the bottom side of each sack overlies the top side of the next underlying sacks. The bottom side of each sack at its loaf-receiving end extends slightly beyond the edge 77 of its top side to provide a stub 78, and the stubs are fastened together by staples 79. The stack of stapled sacks is positioned against a guide flange 80 on one side edge of the tray and is secured to the tray by suitable stub anchoring means 81, here shown as a U-shaped clip of cardboard or the like positioned over the stub ends of the sacks intermediate their side edges. The clip is fastened to the sack stubs by others of the staples 79 and is arranged with a short leg 82 overlying the topmost stub 78 and with a long leg 83 that extends inwardly beneath the bottom face of the tray.

The bottom side of each sack is weakened along a tear line (not shown) at the inner edge of its stub 78 in order that it may easily be torn from the stub by operation of the sack closing and ejecting means 60, previously described.

A wedge block 84 is fixed on the upper face of the tray 76 at each corner of its loaf receiving end. The blocks engage beneath the ends of the stapled sack stubs and serve in conjunction with the anchoring clip 81 to impart a concave configuration to the loaf receiving ends of each sack, elevating the adjacent corners thereof and loosening its top side end edge lip 77 to facilitate opening thereof.

OPERATION FIGS. -16 illustrate an operating cycle of the apparatus. Prior to cycling the vacuum nozzle 35 is in fully lowered position with its suction tip seated on the top side of the uppermost sack to be filled. When the main control switch (not shown) is closed, the motor 22 and the vacuum generator 37 are set in operation, but the clutch 24a remains disengaged and the apparatus does not begin to cycle until the clutch control switch 26 is closed.

Cycling is initiated, as shown in FIGS. 57, by placing a sliced loaf 6 on the table 3 and moving it against the stop wall 26a into longitudinal alignment with the ram 5 and bearing at one end against the depending guide 7. In seating against the wall 26a the loaf depresses the plunger plate 27 to close switch 26. Closing of switch 26 effects engagement of the clutch 24a, thereby putting the main drive shaft 25 and the cam 45 in rotation. Shaft 25 acts through the chain drive 67 to place the closing and ejecting mechanism 60 in operation. Cam 45 acts through follower 50 to elevate the link 46 and thereby the link 39 to raise the vacuum nozzle 35.

As the nozzle rises its suction tip correspondingly lifts the top side of the uppermost sack 8 from the magazine 75 and carries it toward the guide 7, thereby partially opening the sack end as shown in FIG. 11. Meantime, the linkage 16 driven from crank 20 on the rotating shaft 25 has advanced the ram 5 to force the leading end of the loaf against the guide 7, and at the same time to ride over the plate 27 of the switch 26 and hold it closed. Also, the drive 67 from shaft 25 has advanced the paddle 66 from its outer limit position of FIG. 10 toward the nozzle 35.

By the time the nozzle 35 has reached its fully raised position shown in FIGS. 1 and 12 the ram 5 will have pushed the loaf against guide 7, causing the loaf to swing the guide outwardly and upwardly into the partially opened mouth of the sack, thereby clamping the lip of the sack between the guide and the tip of the nozzle 35. As the guide is pushed into the partially open mouth of the sack it expands the mouth laterally to conform to the cross sectional shape of the loaf and facilitate passage of the loaf into the sack. This is an important feature of my invention. It brings the mouth of the sack to full open position before the loaf enters the sack and it eliminates possibility of premature tearing of the sack from the magazine stack, such as might occur if the entrant end of the loaf became fouled with the walls of the sack during its opening. As the area of the rectangular plate comprising the guide is slightly greater than the cross sectional area of a loaf to be sacked, the entrant end of a loaf will always pass freely into the sack mouth with a slight clearance. The frictional resistance of the guide as the loaf slices pass thereunder holds the entrant end slices against separation until they have advanced beyond the guide; and since the sack is substantially collapsed beyond the edge of the guide the resistance imparted by the sack walls as they are spread apart by the loaf will prevent the leading end slices from falling apart until the loaf is bottomed in the sack as shown in FIG. 14.

Ram 5 continues its protractile stroke until it reaches its outer limit position as shown in FIG. 14, at which time the loaf is fully bottomed in the sack with its trailing end held by the head of the ram at a point spaced inwardly from the open mouth of the sack and from the edge of the guide, which then rests on the top face of the ram. At this stage the paddle 66 of the closing device 60 will have engaged the top side of the sack between the trailing end of the loaf and the suction nozzle 35, and will have begun to pull the lip of the sack mouth away from the suction tip of the nozzle while beginning its forward return travel along the lower flight of its driven chains 65.

When paddle 66 engages the sack lip and begins to push the loaf forwardly the ram starts back in its retractile stroke and the nozzle 35 starts to lower. The force exerted by paddle 66 against the trailing end of the loaf tears the bottom side of the sack from its anchored stub. As the paddle continues forward it folds the freed lip of the sack flatly against the trailing end of the loaf (FIG. 15) and pushes the filled sack axially off the magazine tray 76 and delivers it to a discharge conveyor, indicated generally as 85, which carries it to further processing apparatus that is not a part of this invention. During final discharge of the filled and severed sack, the nozzle 35 lowers to seat on the top of the next succeeding sack in the magazine, the ram moves back to its starting position, and the paddle 66 moves up to its outer limit in position to begin travel along the upper flight of its drive chains 65, all as shown in FIG. 16. This completes one full operating cycle of the apparatus. Recycling is begun by moving another loaf against the plate 27 to close the clutch control switch 26 which opened automatically when the ram cleared the plate in moving back through its retractile stroke.

BROAD ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION It is apparent from the above detailed description that my invention is capable of expression in broader terms and involves method as well as apparatus. The table 3 in the area of'the clutch control switch 26 is a loading station. The magazine assembly 75 with the elevating platform 9 is a sacking station. The nozzle 35 is a means which grips by suction the top ply of a sack at the sack ing station and pulls it up to open the mouth of the sack part way and thereby permit the guide 7 to enter the sack 'mouth and enlarge it to fully open position. The guide is a sack opening and spreading means engageable by the leading end of a loaf emerging from the loading station. It is operative by the advancing loaf to spread and hold fully open the mouth of the receiving sack just before the leading end of the loaf is pushed into the sack by the advancing ram. The sack closing and ejecting means 60 is a component of the sacking station. Ram 5 is basically a carrier that conveys a loaf from the loading station beneath the movable guide into the sacking station.

The specific apparatus herein disclosed provides a convenient means, but not the only means, for carrying out the novel article packaging method of this invention. In this method an article to be packaged, here shown as a sliced bread loaf, is loaded on the head of a reciprocating carrier ram, the mouth of an empty sack is gripped and partially opened in a movement that carries the mouth of the sack into the path of the carrier, the partly opened mouth of the sack is spread fully open and held so by means operated by a loaf advancing on the carrier, the carrier is moved through the opened mouth into the sack to deposit the loaf therein and is then withdrawn from the sack, and the mouth of the sack is then closed on the loaf therein by means which delivers the filled sack to a discharge point.

It is to be understood that the herein disciosed embodiment of my invention is illustrative of a practical example and that the invention is not restricted thereto. It may comprise any structure falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Packaging apparatus comprising in combination: an article loading station; an article sacking station; a magazine of superposed collapsed sacks at the sacking station; carrier means operative to transfer articles from the loading station to the sacking station; grip means at the sacking station operative to grip and partly open the mouth of the topmost sack in the magazine; article guide means between said stations interposed in the path of travel of articles passed from the loading station to the sacking station, said guide means being bodily movable by articles in transfer whereby to enter and fully open the mouth of a sack partly opened by said grip means, said carrier means operating to deposit the transferred articles in the opened sack; and sack closing and ejecting means at the sacking station operative to free the mouth of the sack from said grip means, close the freed mouth, and thereafter expel the filled sack from the magazine.

2. In the apparatus of claim 1, means operative by said closing and ejecting means to move underlying sacks into article-receiving position in the magazine to replace sacks ejected therefrom.

3. In the apparatus of claim 1, said article guide means having a sack mouth entering portion shaped to enlarge the sack mouth to provide clearance for articles being deposited in the sack 'by the carrier means.

4. In the apparatus of claim 1, said grip means comprising a vacuum nozzle having a suction tip engageable against the upper face of the topmost sack in the magazine.

5. Packaging apparatus comprising a support, an article loading station thereon, an article sacking station thereon, an article carrier reciprocable on the support to advance an article from the loading station to the sacking station, a movable guide on the support between said stations and biased to an initial position extending into the carrier travel path, a magazine of envelope type sacks at the sacking station having mouths facing said guide, a motor on the support in operative connection with said carrier for effecting reciprocation thereof, sack conditioning means on the support and operative from said motor to grip and partly open the mouth of a sack in the magazine upon initial advance of the carrier to- Ward the sacking station, said guide being engageable by article being advanced toward the sacking station by the carrier and movable by such article into the partly opened sack month, said guide having a sack entering portion engaging the sack wall interior upon entry therein to spread and hold fully open the mouth of the sack Cir for reception of the article being advanced by the carrier, a sack mouth closing member operative from said motor in an orbital path first to engage the sack exterior and free it from the grip of said conditioning means as the carrier nears the limit of its advancing stroke and then to fold the freed portion against the trailing end portion of the articie deposited in the sack by the carrier, and said closing member thereafter engaging and forcing the filled sack from the magazine.

6. In the apparatus of claim 5, said sack conditioning grip means being a vacuum nozzle having a suction tip for seating against a portion of the top face of a sack adjacent its mouth, means operative from the motor to lift and lower said nozzie vertically and including linkage carrying the suction tip of the nozzle up, toward, and over the sack entering portion of the guide during lifting travel of the nozzle.

7. In the apparatus of claim 5, said sack closing member comprising a paddle carried by an endless chain conveyor.

8. A packaging apparatus for inserting articles into a sack comprising, an article supporting platform, means supporting a stack of collapsed sacks adjacent said platform with the open end of the sacks directed toward the platform, vacuum means for partially opening the open end of the uppermost sack on said sack support, ram means mounted for movement along said platform from a retracted position spaced from said supporting means a distance permitting an article to be positioned on said piatform between said ram and said supporting means and an extended position overlying a portion of said supporting means, means moving said ram between said retracted and extended positions, to push an article from said platform into the partially opened end of the uppermost bag on said support means, and movable guide means extending into the path of an article moving from said platform to said sack support means, and movabie thereby to a position projecting into the partially opened end of the uppermost bag to guide the article into the bag, means for collapsing the open end of the bags after an article has been inserted therein includ- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,781,622 2/1957 ShOffner 53258 2,952,954 9/1960 Perrin 53258 X 3,174,260 3/1965 Saumsiegle et al. 53l89 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner E. F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner US Cl. X.R. 53386 

